PM says New India being built

Bangkok, Nov 2: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said Indians were building a New India where transformational changes occurring.

Speaking at the 'Saswadee PM Modi programme, he said, “people once again elected and blessed me with more votes,” referring to his thumping victory in the recent general elections in India which he described as “democracy's Mahakumbh” held this year. Members of the Indian diaspora gathered in sizeable number to greet the visiting Indian leader, raised loud cheers as he recalled that “seven crore electorate had polled votes – the largest in the world – where for the first time there was equal representation of women voters and the highest number of women MPs were voted to power.

He expressed pride that the Indian diaspora had retained their 'Indianness', culture and 'sanskriti' saying he held his head even higher at the praise, which was the strength of India. "We (India & Thailand) are very close to each other not only on the basis of language but also the sentiments. You told me 'Sawasdee Modi', this has connection with the Sanskrit word 'Swasti' which means welfare".

Today's programme has been organised on the lines of the popular “Howdy Modi “ event in Houston, US. Earlier, the PM received a rousing welcome on his arrival at the Indoor stadium in Bangkok packed with members of the Indian community. Chants of 'Vande Mataram' and 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' reverberated in the stadium.

He released a commemorative coin marking the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, as well as the Thai translation of Tamil classic ‘Tirukkural’. Mr Modi is on a three-day visit to Bangkok where he will attend the 16th ASEAN-India Summit on November 3 and the 14th East Asia Summit and the third RCEP Summit on Tuesday.

During the visit, Mr Modi will also hold bilateral meetings with a number of other world leaders present at Bangkok. (UNI)